Thane: The Thane rural police have arrested five robbers for allegedly looting a truck loaded with 955 cement blocks and killing its 35-year-old driver. According to police, the incident took place at Vadpe village near Sangrila Resort on February 26. Truck driver Subhash Yadav’s body was found in the vehicle.
He was on going to Bhiwandi from Gujarat to delivery the consignment. Police said the accused—Mohammad Azmal Shaikh, 30, (Talasari), Mohammad Shakir Shaikh, 30, (Govandi), Jahanbaig Khan, 23, Imran Ali Khan, 35, Kaif Ahmad Shaikh, (residents of Bhiwandi)—were arrested on Sunday.
Avinash Patil, the investigation officer, said, “The prime accused is Imran Ali Khan, a building construction material seller in Bhiwandi. Mohammad Azmal Shaikh worked as a driver at the same cement block company at Umbergaon, Gujarat, where the deceased Yadav worked. Mohammad Azmal Shaikh quitted his job two months ago. Reportedly, Azmal Shaikh supplied cement blocks to Imran Ali Khan without informing his owner.”
Vainkat Andhale, senior inspector from the Thane (Rural) local crime branch, said, “We lodged a case against unidentified persons under sections 302 and 396, IPC, and started a probe. We came across the pics of the accused, scanning a CCTV footage at a sweet shop on Mumbai-Nashik Highway. We sent the photos to various police stations and reliable informers.”
“When we reached the deceased Yadav’s company to question staff and showed them Azmal’s photos, we got a lead. We rushed to Talasari village and nabbed Azmal. During his quizzing, he confessed to the crime and shared the details of his accomplices,” he said.
The prime accused, Imran had given Azmal Rs10,000 in advance for the cement blocks. As Azmal had left the job, he could not make the delivery. Imran continuously harassed Azmal. A harassed Azmal found out the routine of Yadav.
He, along with Shakir, planned to hijack Subhash Yadav’s truck. On the fateful day, they waited at Talasari village and took a lift from Yadav, as he knew Azmal, he readily offered him a lift. On the way, they attacked Yadav with iron rods in the truck. Then, they called other accused and took the cement block at another location.
